Theatres have stood on this spot since 1884, perfectly placed to draw the attention of the great crowds moving between Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square. The original theatre on this site, called simply The Prince, had the distinction of showing the first ever musical comedy. The current, rather unappealing building has stood since 1937, its seven-storey tower standing out even in the heart of London. The interior is more attractive, with its sleek Art Deco lines still visible beneath later additions and a wonderful collection of framed playbills and programmes. Although it has had a fairly mixed record in terms of the shows performed here, the Prince of Wales has managed to attract an impressive roster of stars, including Mae West, James Stewart, Max Bygraves, Frankie Howerd, Benny Hill, Norman Wisdom and Barbra Streisand. Rent, Fosse and The Full Monty have all graced the stage here in recent years, though its biggest success to date came with Andrew Lloyd-Webber's Aspects of Love which ran for 1,325 performances.

Further articles featuring Prince of Wales Theatre on LondonTown.com

Plan the perfect year in the capital with our pick of the best events in London 2018. From January to December, every month boasts an impressive line-up of entertainment. So take a look at our guide and be sure not to miss a thing.

Every Hotel PiccadillyLondon > Hotels > Mid-Range Chain Hotel from £50 27% offCoventry Street, W1D |
1 minute from Prince of Wales TheatreLocated right next to Leicester Square, in the heart of London's West End, the Every Hotel Piccadilly is the perfect hotel for those wanting to enjoy ...More

Criterion TheatreLondon > Entertainment > Theatres218-223 Piccadilly, Piccadilly Circus, Soho, London W1V |
2 minutes from Prince of Wales TheatreThe tiny entrance of the Criterion Theatre
is almost invisible among the massive advertisements, traffic and
crowds of Piccadilly Circus. To ignore it, however, is to ...More

Gielgud TheatreLondon > Entertainment > TheatresShaftesbury Avenue, Soho, London W1D |
3 minutes from Prince of Wales TheatreFrom the outside, the Gielgud Theatre is an impressive sight, towering four storeys over Shaftesbury Avenue, its height further emphasized by the turret on top. The ...More

Comedy StoreLondon > Entertainment > Comedy Clubs1a Oxendon Street, Soho, London SW1Y |
1 minute from Prince of Wales TheatreThe Comedy Store is the spiritual home of stand-up in the UK. Despite being the best large comedy venue in the country, the Store still succeeds ...More

Picturehouse CentralLondon > Entertainment > Cinemas7-14 Coventry Street, Soho, London W1D |
1 minute from Prince of Wales TheatreA vast and much needed improvement on the old Cineworld cinema in the Trocodero, Picturehouse Central opened in June 2015 and was treated to a full ...More

The BandLondon > Events > Theatre Dates: 1st December 2018 to 12th January 2019Prince of Wales Theatre, Haymarket, SW1Y |
2 minutes from Prince of Wales TheatreWith the music of Take That and featuring the winners of the BBC's Let It Shine TV talent search, Tim Firth's musical, The Band, comes to ...More

The Inheritance: Part 2London > Events > Theatre Dates: 28th September 2018 to 5th January 2019Prince of Wales Theatre, St Martin's Lane, WC2N |
4 minutes from Prince of Wales TheatreHearts are broken and emotional wounds salved as young gay men in modern-day New York continue to wrestle with their feelings in the closing chapter of ...More

The Inheritance: Part 1London > Events > Theatre Dates: 21st September 2018 to 5th January 2019Prince of Wales Theatre, St Martin's Lane, WC2N |
4 minutes from Prince of Wales TheatreFollowing a sold-out run at the Young Vic, Matthew Lopez's new play, The Inheritance, comes to the West End for a strictly limited season. Directed by ...More

The West EndLondon > Attractions > Other AttractionsSoho, London WC2H |
2 minutes from Prince of Wales TheatreTaking in Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street, Soho, Theatreland, Chinatown, Covent Garden and Leicester Square, The West End really does have it ...More

GodivaLondon > Shopping > Food and Drink Shops28 Haymarket, Soho, London SW1Y |
1 minute from Prince of Wales TheatreBelgium's finest export, the first Godiva was opened in Brussels approximately 75 years ago by master chocolatier Joseph Draps and named after the legendary Lady Godiva. ...More

SquaresLondon > Restaurants > Modern European restaurantsThistle Trafalgar Hotel, Whitcomb Street, Soho, London WC2H |
1 minute from Prince of Wales TheatreSquares is recognised as a restaurant that offers high quality food and superior service. Situated within The Royal Trafalgar Thistle Hotel, Squares is ideally located just ...More

Cookery SchoolLondon > Education > Cookery Courses15B Little Portland Street, Fitzrovia, London W1W |
12 minutes from Prince of Wales TheatreAwarded The Best City Cookery School 2013, the Cookery School at Little Portland Street has been teaching people to make simple, honest food for more than ...More

Urban Golf SohoLondon > Leisure > Golf33 Great Pulteney Street, Soho, London W1F |
4 minutes from Prince of Wales TheatreOK, so you may not be able to soak up the rays on this indoor course but it's a brilliant idea that has been stylishly executed. ...More

Waxy O'Connor'sLondon > Nightlife > Pubs14-16 Rupert Street, Soho, London W1D |
1 minute from Prince of Wales TheatreLocated where it is, Waxy's is fairly predictable. It's busy, it's Irish and it's got a fair smattering of tourists, but it also has that certain ...More

The Blue PostsLondon > Nightlife > Pubs28 Rupert Street, Soho, London W1D |
1 minute from Prince of Wales TheatreAcross the road from Chinatown, a pub had stood on the site of The Blue Posts at 28 Rupert Street since 1739. ...More

Waxy's Little SisterLondon > Nightlife > Pubs20 Wardour Street, Soho, London W1D |
1 minute from Prince of Wales TheatreIf you're not up for the hectic atmosphere of Waxy O'Connors it might be worth slipping across the street to her infinitely more tranquil Little Sister. ...More

The PerceptionLondon > Nightlife > BarsW London Leicester Square, 10 Wardour Street, W1D |
1 minute from Prince of Wales TheatreOpened in late 2017, The Perception has taken over the lobby of the W London. Designed by Amsterdam-based firm Concrete, the bar is inspired by London's ...More

Bar RumbaLondon > Nightlife > Nightclubs36 Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho, London W1D |
1 minute from Prince of Wales TheatreLocated nearby to Leicester Square, Bar Rumba is a lively bar that's ideal for late-night partying in the West End. Having moved away from its urban ...More

The Jamie Lloyd Company's season of Harold Pinter's one-act plays continues with a double-bill of scathing attacks on materialism and the class system including Pinter's final play, Celebration. ...More

Cate Blanchett comes to the National Theatre in 2019, the Spice Girls reunite and Christian Dior is the Designer of Dreams at the V&A. Two new musicals are dedicated to Dolly Parton and Mary Poppins, ...More

Christmas favourites like The Nutcracker, Carols at The Royal Albert Hall and the Santa Dash return along with a Festive Feast at Hampton Court Palace and a new puppet show from the puppeteers behind ...More